DOST-Pisay eyes Palawan students for S&T scholarship

October 2, 2018 Community Billboard

PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN – In a bid to draw elementary students to take science scholarship and go the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) track when they get to high school, the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) or more commonly known as Pisay held a research summit here in the heart of Palawan. Called the 2018 Science Research Summit, the event runs from September 28 to October 1, 2018 at the Skylight Convention Center in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
During the summit, Pisay students from various campuses will present research studies — one for inter-Pisay completion and another for presentation to Palawan students. Teachers meanwhile, will be engaged not only as guides in the fair but also as participants to a seminar on Zika mosquito protocol training sponsored by the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment or GLOBE.
There were 63 student-prepared research papers presented out of the 107 submitted systemwide, covering six areas, namely Biology, Chemistry, Material Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, and Computational Science.
“This four-day summit is designed to provide and share the latest information and to highlight numerous scientific discoveries of PSHS students and enable them to embrace the culture of scientific inquiry and share their experiences with co-Pisay students,” said Department of Science and Technology-PSHS Executive Director Lilia T. Habacon. Pisay, which is under the DOST, has its own special curriculum that is designed to develop students holistically but with strong emphasis on science and technology.
One of the special features of the summit was Hillary Diane A. Andales, a Pisay alumnus from the Eastern Visayas campus in Palo, Leyte, who shared her experience as a Pisay student and as the winner of the 2017 Breakthrough Junior Challenge held in the United States.
“When I was just an elementary student, I have always wanted to be part of the cream of the crop, of studying in Pisay whenever I see the three-storey building (in Palo) even if I have to sacrifice fun,” Andales said.
She underscored the importance of having a dream and setting clear goals to be able to achieve success. “For me it is important to have a dream, and my dream then was to enter Pisay but later I realized that Pisay is not the dream itself but one of my goals. Pisay is just a stepping stone to achieve my ultimate dream of creating a world that value learning; to change the world through science,” added Andales.
Also, during the opening ceremonies, Dr. Foong Tse Foon, chief executive officer of Nanyang Polytechnic International Singapore, one of the invited speakers, higlighted the importance of identifying the 3 D’s, namely dream, difficulty and destiny in order to succeed.
He further said that Singapore, a couple of decades ago, invested in human capital by sending 1,000 scholars in different top universities in the world to learn new technologies that they brought back home.
The need to invest on the youth was echoed by DOST Undersecretary Carol M. Yorobe who represented Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña. Usec. Yorobe urged the Pisay students to strive harder because they are the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians that the country will need in the future.
“As young scientists you must make good use of your talents for society and as you proceed in your career always remember your fellowmen, whether you are in the field of nuclear science, space technology, and data science. But with limited institutions offering these courses, we also consider sending scholars in institutions abroad. And with the Balik Scientist Program, our scientists and engineers can share their talents to benefit government, industry and other sectors,” said Dr. Yorobe.
Aside from the orientation on the first day, the Pisay students also had a team building for them to meet other students from other Pisay campuses and build friendships and networks.
Various campuses of Pisay have been established in all regions, namely Pisay Main Campus in Quezon City, CALABARZON, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Southern Mindanao, Zamboanga, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, and MIMAROPA, the youngest campus which was established just this year.
The establishment of Pisay campuses and having Pisay scholars all over the country is in pursuit of the Department’s goal of bringing science to the people. S&T Media Service published thru Francis Soriano